Voter turnout slow in Taunton for US Senate primary election

Polling places in the Taunton area seemed spacious on Tuesday, and the campaigners often picketing nearby were nowhere to be seen as voters slowly trickled in to make their choice in the special primary election held to fill the U.S. Senate recently vacated by newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry.

TAUNTON — Polling places in the Taunton area seemed spacious, and the campaigners typically seen picketing nearby were gone as voters slowly trickled in to make their choice in the Massachusetts special primary election on Tuesday.

“There is not much going on here,” said Tony Freitas, voting at the Elizabeth Pole Elementary School around 5 p.m. “It seems very slow.”

In Taunton, a total of 3,818 of 32,589 registered voters — or 11.7 percent — participated in the primary on Tuesday, according to the City Clerk’s Office. That can be compared with the nearly 4,500, or 13.6 percent, of registered Taunton voters who cast a ballot in the 2009 primary as part of the special statewide election to replace Democratic U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.

There were 2,778 Taunton voters who cast a Democratic ballot on Tuesday, while 1,040 voted on the Republican ballot.

Those who voted on the Democrat ballot in Taunton overwhelmingly supported Stephen Lynch, with 59.4 percent (1,649), giving the South Boston Congressman the city’s left-leaning approval. Lynch’s colleague on Capitol Hill, Malden’s Edward Markey, who was ultimately declared winner of the statewide Democratic primary, received 40.5 percent of the city’s total 2,778 Democrat ballots cast in Taunton.

On the Republican end, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan carried Taunton’s conservative vote with 47.4 percent, or 493. Gabriel Gomez, a businessman and former Navy SEAL, followed with 441 Taunton votes in the Republican primary. While losing in Taunton, Gomez also won overall in the primary.

Connie Schmidt, of Taunton, said that a lack of Republican appeal to voters is part of the low turnout.

“I don’t think there is as many interested in the Republican Party in Massachusetts,” Schmidt said.

The Taunton woman also attributed the low turnout to the recent Boston Marathon bombing, which understandably took the public focus off of the Senate campaign.

“I do understand several campaigns were halted after the bombing,” she said.

Across the city at a nearly desolate Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish on Bay Street, coming from a different political perspective, Terri Corliss said she was voting for new leadership.

“I was anxious to get here,” said Corliss, leaving the church after she cast her ballot. “I think we need some changes in Congress. It’s a good day.”

For experienced poll worker Norma Barbour, stationed at the Pole School, turnout was definitely low from her perspective.

“It’s been slow all day,” Barbour said around 5 p.m. “Since the morning it’s been slow. The most voters we had at a time was maybe 5. I don’t think the interest is there. I don’t know why. It’s been very quiet.”

Another voter at the Bay Street church, 85-year-old John Murphy, said that the lack of hype behind the election wasn’t going to stop him. Murphy said he has voted at every opportunity in his life.

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“I think there are differences between the candidate, and one is more beneficial than the others,” said Murphy, describing the Democrats. “It’s important to vote. I’ve voted in every election.”

Antonio Costa, 30, of Taunton, said that this primary was not like when Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley ran in the primary as part of the special election to fill the seat of Ted Kennedy after he died in 2009. Costa said that during that election, the health care debate was fueling interest among voters.

“There’s not a hot topic drawing everyone this time,” Costa said.

At the Raynham Middle School there was no one stationed nearby holdings signs supporting a particular candidate, and there were no lines for voters in the late afternoon and early evening.

“There’s not many people here,” said Ted Sargent, of Raynham. “It’s not too exciting.”